Can you Criticise Atheism? - Think Atheist2018-02-18T05:20:57Zhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/forum/topics/can-you-criticise-atheism?commentId=1982180%3AComment%3A513098&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noAtheism is not a belief. Athe…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-02-02:1982180:Comment:5130982011-02-02T07:30:37.765ZT A Ahttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/TAA
<p>Atheism is not a belief. Atheists don't rely on beliefs to construct their world vision, well at least not the ones I respect. Atheism cannot be criticised anymore than we 'criticise' god, neither exists.</p>
<p>However atheists can be criticised, there is plenty of bad science and un-learned self proclaimed atheists who say just as many lies as theists (albeit not too many, or so I wish). Hopefully our general scepticism keeps tabs on such folks.</p>
<p>Atheism is not a belief. Atheists don't rely on beliefs to construct their world vision, well at least not the ones I respect. Atheism cannot be criticised anymore than we 'criticise' god, neither exists.</p>
<p>However atheists can be criticised, there is plenty of bad science and un-learned self proclaimed atheists who say just as many lies as theists (albeit not too many, or so I wish). Hopefully our general scepticism keeps tabs on such folks.</p> I'm careful about using belie…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-02-02:1982180:Comment:5130892011-02-02T06:59:56.504ZT A Ahttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/TAA
<p>I'm careful about using belief and logic in the same sentence... they are fundamentally antithetical. When it comes down to evidence and scientific experiments, it's not a matter of belief, I trust (sometimes it's not the case) that the evidence and/or results were obtained honestly, without conflict of interest or bias on the part of the investigator.</p>
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<p>I only use the word belief for opinion content of issues that are plausible but undecided.</p>
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<p>Tearing apart…</p>
<p>I'm careful about using belief and logic in the same sentence... they are fundamentally antithetical. When it comes down to evidence and scientific experiments, it's not a matter of belief, I trust (sometimes it's not the case) that the evidence and/or results were obtained honestly, without conflict of interest or bias on the part of the investigator.</p>
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<p>I only use the word belief for opinion content of issues that are plausible but undecided.</p>
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<p>Tearing apart Christianity is only a success in your own mind of perceptions. In the real world, one does not tear apart Christianity. Christianity finds our opinion of them quite irrelevant, except in the war for public spaces. Christianity lives on and thrives, if not in your village, then in someone else's. The best we can do is push against them, and cause them to lose ground.</p> Don't forget everyone atheism…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-02-02:1982180:Comment:5129952011-02-02T01:57:34.862ZBryan Bhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/BryanB
<p>Don't forget everyone atheism isn't open to criticism but it can't be defended either. Atheism isn't based on anything; it's a belief that just isn't there. Some people have said they like atheism because it’s based on reason, science and logic and so on but that's not true; theists just haven't live up to their burden of proof. Logic and science have proved this but science and reason is not the source of our unbelief but our skepticism, curiosity and resistance to suggestion is. Most of …</p>
<p>Don't forget everyone atheism isn't open to criticism but it can't be defended either. Atheism isn't based on anything; it's a belief that just isn't there. Some people have said they like atheism because it’s based on reason, science and logic and so on but that's not true; theists just haven't live up to their burden of proof. Logic and science have proved this but science and reason is not the source of our unbelief but our skepticism, curiosity and resistance to suggestion is. Most of us are anti-religion but that's not atheism either.</p>
<p>Also, saying science is faulty is a red herring in this case, even if science was totally bogus who cares? Atheism itself is still not open to criticism.</p> This is exactly why I like at…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-02-02:1982180:Comment:5129632011-02-02T00:45:45.682ZAnathema6205http://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Anathema6205
This is exactly why I like atheism; because it is grounded in logic in it's 'belief.'<br />
You can defend it with empirical evidence and pure logic.<br />
Not many other belief systems share this quality.<br />
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I think everything that one believes in should hold up to any kind of scrutiny and STILL make sense.<br />
It's hard to tear apart atheism; it's easy as pie to tear apart Christianity.
This is exactly why I like atheism; because it is grounded in logic in it's 'belief.'<br />
You can defend it with empirical evidence and pure logic.<br />
Not many other belief systems share this quality.<br />
<br />
I think everything that one believes in should hold up to any kind of scrutiny and STILL make sense.<br />
It's hard to tear apart atheism; it's easy as pie to tear apart Christianity. Yes I heard a similar thing –…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-02-01:1982180:Comment:5129472011-02-01T23:45:36.846ZReg The Fronkey Farmerhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/RegPerry
Yes I heard a similar thing – “at least they have a belief”. Theists have this concept that having Faith is somehow a noble or laudable trait to have. It is just some kind of confirmation bias they have acquired. But this pride in the value of Faith makes many of them so arrogant. This is another of their delusions and another reason I critizise them. I would critizise Atheists too if I found them as obnoxious in their opinions – but I seldom meet such arrogance from Atheists. We reach a…
Yes I heard a similar thing – “at least they have a belief”. Theists have this concept that having Faith is somehow a noble or laudable trait to have. It is just some kind of confirmation bias they have acquired. But this pride in the value of Faith makes many of them so arrogant. This is another of their delusions and another reason I critizise them. I would critizise Atheists too if I found them as obnoxious in their opinions – but I seldom meet such arrogance from Atheists. We reach a consensus with our knowledge and it is always open to critizism but we do not claim to know a one and only Truth. Thank you, Kris, and to every…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-02-01:1982180:Comment:5129392011-02-01T23:40:49.962ZAimhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/AmyTeel
<p>Thank you, Kris, and to everyone that responded regarding the link.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Thank you, Kris, and to everyone that responded regarding the link.</p>
<p>:)</p> At the office a couple years…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-02-01:1982180:Comment:5129202011-02-01T23:04:35.843ZAdrian Montoyahttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/AdrianMontoya
<p>At the office a couple years ago in the breakroom. I sat at the table with some co-workers at the tail end of a conversation. They were talking about Muslim extremists and one of them said something like "As crazy as those people are at least they believe in something, Atheists can't even say that". I was shocked but I raised my hand and calmly said "Atheist, right here.". He just looked at me like I had too many holes in my head, then he got up and walked away... Awkward... I guess I was…</p>
<p>At the office a couple years ago in the breakroom. I sat at the table with some co-workers at the tail end of a conversation. They were talking about Muslim extremists and one of them said something like "As crazy as those people are at least they believe in something, Atheists can't even say that". I was shocked but I raised my hand and calmly said "Atheist, right here.". He just looked at me like I had too many holes in my head, then he got up and walked away... Awkward... I guess I was maybe expecting the chance to debate, defend, or otherwise discuss...</p>
<p>Anyway, his criticism was obviously flawed in that it assumes that not believing in a god means believing in nothing. Of course I have my beliefs they are just based on different books... The kind you find in the non-fiction section. Still, valid or not I think it's a criticism many flat earthers have and it did make me think... It made me think less of that co-worker but it did make me think.</p> Ken Wilbur may or may not be…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-02-01:1982180:Comment:5129122011-02-01T22:52:33.319ZKirk Holdenhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/KirkHolden
<p>Ken Wilbur may or may not be full of crap but he makes a good demarcation for any belief.</p>
<p>pre-cognitive --- infants and children and some people who post to this forum have not read a book or (apparently) figured out that most of the intersting questions have been answered. A million times. And it's all on the google.</p>
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<p>Cognitive ---- teenagers and most of the people who post to T/A. Read a lot. Talks to people who don't agree with them in a condescending manner of…</p>
<p>Ken Wilbur may or may not be full of crap but he makes a good demarcation for any belief.</p>
<p>pre-cognitive --- infants and children and some people who post to this forum have not read a book or (apparently) figured out that most of the intersting questions have been answered. A million times. And it's all on the google.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cognitive ---- teenagers and most of the people who post to T/A. Read a lot. Talks to people who don't agree with them in a condescending manner of know-it-alls. Can define 'belief' and 'faith' without spitting with fury at a believer without a clue that 'belief' can be a provisional attachment to an untested idea and NOT ultimate knowledge.</p>
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<p>Post-Cognitive --- I skipped over this part because I was busy. Something about enlightenment...</p> There is only human perceptio…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-02-01:1982180:Comment:5128782011-02-01T21:59:57.406ZJaumehttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Jaume
<p><em>There is only human perceptions of limited data of unknown accuracy <strong>blah blah blah</strong>...</em></p>
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<p>This is <em>sooo</em> wrong. The only one thing that has to be absolute for a measurement to be deemed 'scientific', 'empirical', whatever, is the upper limit you assign to the margin of error. The lower the better, of course, but since it's always an arbitrary value, the case is closed before it was even opened.</p>
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<p><em>So their argument is that,…</em></p>
<p><em>There is only human perceptions of limited data of unknown accuracy <strong>blah blah blah</strong>...</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is <em>sooo</em> wrong. The only one thing that has to be absolute for a measurement to be deemed 'scientific', 'empirical', whatever, is the upper limit you assign to the margin of error. The lower the better, of course, but since it's always an arbitrary value, the case is closed before it was even opened.</p>
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<p><em>So their argument is that, atheism can be criticized because lacking a belief in god, due to a lack of evidence, is a flawed reason, due to empirical evidence being a myth.</em></p>
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<p>Bullshit. The only point being made here is that empirical measurements can't be 100% accurate. As if scientists weren't aware of that already. Ask them this: there's empirical evidence that the oceans are mostly salt water. Is that a myth too, just because we can't say precisely how much of the oceans is made out of salt water?</p> To criticize means to think c…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-02-01:1982180:Comment:5128542011-02-01T21:34:53.148ZAllen Sneedhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/AllenSneed
To criticize means to think critically, which is a cornerstone of skepticism. I'd say criticism and atheism go hand in hand. And I think people should make a habit of thinking critically about their beliefs (or lack thereof) from time to time. If our beliefs (or lack thereof) are solid, they will withstand the criticism. If not, they need to be altered anyway.
To criticize means to think critically, which is a cornerstone of skepticism. I'd say criticism and atheism go hand in hand. And I think people should make a habit of thinking critically about their beliefs (or lack thereof) from time to time. If our beliefs (or lack thereof) are solid, they will withstand the criticism. If not, they need to be altered anyway.